ADRIAN — If you’re a member of any local Facebook groups, there’s a good chance you’ve seen these posts. Somebody claims to be starting an air duct cleaning business, often saying that they’re doing it to make ends meet after some kind of personal tragedy. The post often doesn’t give a business name, and simply asks you to text them or send a Facebook message for details.

You may have wondered how one town can have so many people suddenly getting into the air duct cleaning business. The answer is simple enough: It doesn’t.

Somehow, home air duct cleaning has become the tactic of choice for a whole host of scammers. Attorney General Dana Nessel recently issued a warning about the proliferation of such offers in Michigan, and they’re targeting Adrian residents too.

On the Facebook group “Good Neighbors in Adrian, Michigan!” you can find dozens of such posts. One account has made more than 20 posts over the course of two months, with the poster saying that his wife’s sister recently died from blood cancer and that he’s now supporting her three children. The sister always died “last month,” with her date of death moving — so far — from September 14 to October 14 to November 14. 

According to the attorney general’s office, deceitful air duct cleaning companies, referred to as “blow-and-go” establishments, lure consumers in with rock bottom prices, then add on unnecessary services like costly repairs or mold-removal that cost a great deal more than the initially quoted price. Some of these companies, if they complete the work, do an inferior job or leave the consumer worse off than before, with dirt and contaminants blown from their HVAC systems onto drapes, carpets and furniture.

“Everyone wants to ensure that their home is healthy and safe for their family,” Nessel said in a news release. “However, it’s important to verify that you are dealing with an honest, reputable company in all home maintenance matters. Beware of predatory business practices and research potential service providers before paying or signing a contract.”

According to the attorney general’s office, some red flags to watch out for are:

• The post provides no company name. (Legitimate businesses will want to showcase their company and services.)
• The post provides a generic company name like “Duct Cleaners Michigan.”
• The social media account is relatively new, or it’s locked down so that you can’t see any information about the person.
• The post says it’s “not a scam.” (If they have to say it’s not a scam, it probably is.)

Michigan consumers who suspect they are the victims of illegal or predatory business practices are encouraged to contact the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team by calling 877-765-8388 or filling out an online complaint form.